Ominous Descent Review (2024)

The entire cast of Ominous Descent brought their A-Game, ensuring you didn’t have a moment to breathe throughout the whole haunt. These cast members were unafraid to get close and personal to heighten the scare. Towards the finale, a chainsaw-wielding family member blocked our path, and we had to limbo under the chainsaw to escape. Each room was well-staffed and there never felt like anyone was missing. Characters often followed us from one room to the other. We heard one character mention Clara during our walkthrough and would’ve loved to hear even more connections to the story from additional characters to tie it all together. Although we were screaming so loud, we probably missed it!

All the costumes perfectly matched the atmosphere of the haunted trail, with nothing feeling out of place. The masks fit each actor’s face seamlessly and showcased intricate details—balding men with sagging skin, deep gashes, and dark, hollowed eyes that made their presence all the more unsettling. We especially loved the mask infused with cow horns and another that looked like some skeletal raccoon in the swamp portion of the house. Each character’s clothing was distressed and weathered, mixed with blood and dirt to give a grunge, backwoods hillbilly-like feel. No two members of the Harris Family or the Breed looked the same. It’s Wade Harris and Ominous Grim’s world, and we’re just dying in it.

The entire team at Ominous Descent was so gracious and helpful from the moment we arrived. We even saw one employee run to catch up with another group that missed check-in to ensure they knew exactly where they were going. The house attendant at the front of the attraction entrance was very friendly and answered our questions before entering.

Ominous Descent is set up at the Winter Haven Moose Lodge this year, and you’ll notice the haunted house as soon as you pull into the parking lot. It would be helpful to have small road signs leading up to the turn and parking attendants directing you when you enter the lot. We attended Media Night, so these are two small items that may already be in the works after opening. Since the Moose Lodge is located by the water, we highly recommend bringing some bug spray with you. And, since it is an outdoor experience, we always recommend closed-toe shoes.

From the moment we entered the Harris lake house to the moment we were chased out of the exit by a chainsaw-wielding family member, we were fully immersed in the story of the Harris family. The house was so expertly built that you’d be mistaken to think you were indoors the entire time. We highly recommend checking out the Ominous Descent website before visiting. The About page includes the full description of the 2024 haunt, the description of the 2019 haunt, and full backstories on Ominous Grim and Wade Harris.

For anyone who doesn’t check out the website beforehand, the story for the attraction is posted right before you enter the haunted house. With it being such an in-depth story, it would be nice to have the story sign posted earlier in the line as well as the photos and backstories of the other characters to build up the lore and anticipation before entering.

The special effects at Ominous Descent were immersive and unsettling from the start. A foul, rotting smell permeated the hallways of the lake house and we frequently had to push large hanging props, like rotting pigs and rancid meat, out of our way to be able to proceed. The house was eerily lit, providing just enough light to reveal some finer details while concealing members of The Breed in dark corners. In the swamp scene, thick fog was pumped into the outdoor area and a green laser gave the effect you were walking through the water.

The trail layout created the illusion of multiple paths, creating a disorienting experience where we often weren’t sure which direction to take. As fans of larger-than-life creatures in haunted houses, we were thrilled to encounter a massive alligator lurking in the swamp and a dog with glowing red eyes that lunged at us. The audio design was impressive, seamlessly transitioning between rooms—from creepy tunes like “Tonight You Belong to Me” indoors to chirping crickets as soon as we stepped outside.

The trail lasted six minutes but felt much longer due to how consistently scared we were throughout. Actors attacked from below, the sides, and on elevated platforms, keeping us on edge the entire time. The trail built up to an incredibly strong finale that kicked off with a massive swamp scene and ended in a meat locker with two chainsaw attacks. Just when we thought it was over, as we exited the trail, an actor blocked our path, and while we were distracted, a third chainsaw attack hit us from the right—a perfect double-tap scare! The house attendant purposely pulsed each group two minutes apart, ensuring we never caught up to the party in front of us, leaving us to traverse the trail alone. Slaughtered Souls is the scariest attraction we’ve been through in 2024 thus far, and has set a high bar that will be tough to beat.

General admission tickets for Ominous Descent cost $20 and provide one admission to the trail and access to “The Hut” Boat Dock with food and entertainment. You can upgrade your experience and pick the Quick Descent ticket, which costs $35 and provides one admission to the trail with front-of-line access. Tickets for the escape game are available onsite. A small gift shop is set up with some Ominous Descent merchandise and a local vendor, Samm’s Spooky Closet, was selling handmade items and “Spooky Meal” boxes.

You’re paying 1 dollar for .30 minutes of scares, which is a little high for one attraction, but in the case of Ominous Descent, it’s $20 well spent. We imagine people will want to walk the trail a second time, so it would be nice to offer a “Scream Twice” option, which allows a second walkthrough for an additional $10. We’d certainly pay for it! A portion of the ticket proceeds from this year’s event will go to Moose Charities, which supports kids and adults in need, so you’ll feel good knowing you’re supporting a local haunt and a charity simultaneously!